Spartans Finish 3-1 at VWC Beach Bash

Mar 01, 2008

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA-The York College softball team split their
two games during the second day of the Virginia Wesleyan Beach Bash
to complete a successful season-opening weekend. The Spartans
dropped their opener to Methodist College, 7-2, before bouncing
back to down Rutgers-Newark 13-4. The green and white end the
weekend 3-1.

In the loss to Methodist, the Monarchs struck for five runs in
the bottom of the third to blow the game open. Spartan starter
Megan Mickles (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) struggled
with her control in the inning as she began the frame with a
strikeout before walking three straight batters to load the bases.
Sara Poling singled to score one for Methodist and Kayla Talbert
jacked a grand slam for the Monarchs as they gained control of the
game. Methodist added a single run in the fourth before the
Spartans got two runs in the top of the sixth to trim the Methodist
lead to 6-2. The Spartans had three doubles in the sixth inning as
Heather Bormann (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial)
doubled to lead off the inning. Freshman Kelly Smith
(Riverdale, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) doubled with one out
to score Bormann and senior Andrea Tombesi (Dallastown,
Pa./Dallastown) doubled to plate Smith with York’s
second run.

Methodist tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth
to close out the scoring.

Lesley Hewitt tossed a complete game for Methodist as she
improves to 2-1. She allowed two runs on eight hits with eight
strikeouts and no walks. Mickles suffered the loss as she threw 2.1
innings, allowing five runs on two hits, five walks, and five
strikeout. Nicole Kerfoot (Owings, Md./Northern)
relieved Mickles and allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits in
3.2 innings of work. Kerfoot struck out three and walked one in her
first appearance of 2008.

Offensively, Crystal Metzger was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run
scored for the Monarchs. Talbert was 1-for-2 with four
RBI and a run scored while Poling was 1-for-3 with an
RBI and a run scored.

The Spartan offense was paced by Bormann as the sophomore
continued to rip the ball. She was 3-for-4 with a run scored while
Smith also continued her hot start as she was also 3-for-4 with an
RBI and a run scored. Tombesi and Sam Lawrence
(Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) were the other two Spartans with
base hits in the game.

In the nightcap, the Spartan offense exploded for a season-high
13 runs. York scored single runs in each of the first three innings
while Rutgers-Newark scored one in the second and two in the third
as the teams were tied at three through three frames.
Rutgers-Newark broke the tie in the top of the fourth with a single
run but the Spartans responded with a big bottom of the fourth.
Karen Carr Baltimore, Md./Lansdowne) began the
inning with a double and rode home on a Bormann RBI single.
Bormann then came home on a Michelle
Barwick (Cockeysville, Md./Dulaney) RBI single.
Smith walked to put Spartans at first and second. They
wouldn’t remain there long as Tombesi jacked a three-run bomb
to left field to give the Spartans an 8-4 lead.

York got a single run in the bottom of the fifth and then closed
out the game in the bottom of the sixth. In the sixth,
Jessica Balch (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill) doubled
to lead off the inning. After a fly out, Balch scored on a Bormann
single to right. Smith then singled again, and again, Tombesi
ripped a three-run homer to end the game due to the eight-run rule.

Megan Lahner (Finksburg, Md./Westminster)
earned the win as she tossed a complete game. Lahner, who is now
2-0, allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits with five
strikeouts and three walks. Elena Morge suffered the loss as she
allowed eight runs, seven earned, on 10 hits with five walks and
one strike out in four innings. She falls to 0-2 for the season.
Carrie McGuire relieved Morge and allowed five runs on eight hits
in 1.2 innings of action.

Bormann continued her torrid start to the season as she was
3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored from her lead
off spot. Tombesi was 4-for-4 with seven RBI and two runs scored.
Smith was 2-for-3 with four runs scored. Ali Merrifield
(York, Pa./Dallastown) added three hits while Balch added
a pair of hits and a run scored.

Morge led the Scarlet Raider offense as she was 2-for-3 with a
run scored. Sam Weer added a hit, a run, and an RBI for
Rutgers-Newark.

The Spartans return to action on March 15 when they travel to
Bridgewater College to face the Eagles in a non-conference double
header. Game on is scheduled to begin at 2:00 pm.